so the conference is now over, 3 days of talking heads, and slides that will make you head spin. Some of the speakers were monotonous, some had thick accents, lots of “um”s and “ah”s, but some were very well spoken, and really knew their material. But alas, it is finally over.
Following the conference i took a little trek out on my own. The past three nights i was in the company of some acquaintances i met at an earlier workshop. But tonight we parted and i went for a walk in the surrounding area. There’s a street for pedestrians that are lined with many tourist shops and restaurants, also some retail stores selling current fashion, even an H&M and Zaras. Since today was a national holiday, all the shops were closed except for the souvenir shops. And also, because today was a holiday there were a lot of people on the streets.
I came across a street that had a cop on a motorcycle waiting there, lights flashing, that drew my attention, so i thought “Hey, maybe a parade for the holidays!” I started getting closer and there were more cops, blocking off the road, and people were standing along the road, even some of the resatuarant employees were standing outside on the streets watching. As i proceeded towards the crowd I heard someone on a loud speaker, speaking in Hungarian. The group of people had signs on them, like sandwich boards, in Hungarian of course, and along side of them an entire task force of cops, dressed in riot gear. I thought, “Cool a cop’s parade!” And i was going to take out my camera to take a picture, but i didn’t see anyone else taking pictures, so i restrained.
I asked one of the restaurant workers standing there watching all this, “What’s going on?”
“Nothing, just idiots.”
“Oh, okay.” I kinda shook my head.
“They are…. uh-”
“Demonstrating? Protest?” i asked.
“Yes, they are idiots.”
“Okay.” I didn’t press for more.
Another couple turned to me…
“Well, they are not just idiots. They protest for a good reason.”
They tried to explain it to me, and from the Hungarian accents, from what i could make of it, they were protesting because the government party that was in power during the communist reign never really changed. The prime ministers have changed, but it was still a socialist government and the people were protesting this, because they want better.
I walked away from the couple and the employee from the restaurant came out and asked me, “so did they change your mind?”
i said “no i was just seeing what’s going on.”
the server told me that “they’re idiots, every holiday they protest, and nothing changes. You see here?” He points to the area and the restaurant. “Nobody is here because of them. The last two years they came through here and smashed the tables and threw the chairs. That’s why there are all the police.”
He continued, “They are idiots, they want change but before, last prime minister, same thing. new prime minister, same thing. It changes nothing for me. They are idiots.”
I shrugged, I didn’t really have an answer to the whole thing, he walked into back to the restaurant and he told me to have a good night. I thought how unlucky would it have been if the protesters acted up and started rioting. I was right in the area while they were coming through. I’m glad nothing happened.
I continued walking and most restaurants were open so I found a place to have dinner.
They are really big on terraces or patios out here, it seems every restaurant has a terrace, and even though it’s cold outside, there are still people to sit outside on them. Each place has those propane heaters and thrown around the terrace.
I took a seat ouside on a terrace underneath the heater. The restaurant was called Fresco. I had a glass of the local beer, Dreher, it was quite nice, but then again i’m not much of a beer connoisseur, so what might taste good to me may not taste good to another. But i enjoyed it so that’s all that matters.
I ordered the goulash soup and a dish that was described as “Best pork grilled with wild mushrooms and cracklings, with potato dumplings” or something along those lines.
The beer came first and i took a sip while enjoying the heat that emitted from the heater. The server brought out a plate with salt and pepper shakers on it and some cutlery, and a basket of french bread with a cloth covering the bread. Then he brought out the goulash soup. It came in a metal bowl, which really resembled a mini pot.
I wasn’t sure if this was what i was after, but i was told to have the goulash while i was in Hungary. I never bothered to google goulash so i didn’t really know what to expect, all i knew was it had beef in it. I put the soup spoon in and stirred the soup. At the bottom were cubed potatoes, carrots, other diced vegetables, and cubes of beef, along with (i think) barley. Looked safe, so i tasted it. I sipped the broth and it tasted good, just like i thought it would given the contents of the soup. A little salty, but not spicy, and there was a lot! I dipped some of the bread in there and soaked up the broth…. it was a pretty good meal on its own.
“oh i ordered way too much.” i thought to myself.
I didn’t finish the entire thing and left some of the odds and ends at the bottom. I still had more food to come. The waiter took the soup away and out came my next dish.
This was the “best pork etc.” dish. All i really remember was the pork, mushrooms, and cracklings… whatever that is… i think it’s deep fried spinach.
You can’t see it in the picture cause i kinda dismatled it when it came out… but it was piled all on top of each other, the sauteed wild mushrooms in the center of the dish, surrounded by the fried potatoe dumplings and on top of the dumplings, three large pieces of pork and the “cracklings” on top.
i took a piece of the dunpling and cut into it, took a bite and ate it, kinda bland, almost like a dough nut, but not sweet. I took a piece of the pork and sliced into it, it was juicy and not at all dry. I took a bite of that, it was GOOD. Spiced, but not spicy. I was about halfway through one piece of pork when i realized there were the mushrooms in the middle i completely missed so i tried them. They were a little bit salty, so i ate them with the pork and a piece of the “doughnut”, added some of the cracklings and they harmonzied, and the whole thing tasted GREAT!
I was impressed. The food was truly good. The goulash was big enough to eat on its own, and the pork i ate cause it tasted so good. I will have to consider going back there as a last resort if i can’t find somewhere else to eat. But i trust the other dishes on the menu will be just as good.
After dinner i went back to the hotel to rest up, to start my sight seeing the next day.
